Undershirt.



No. 876,455. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908. V

W.- R. HIBBARD.

UNDERSHIRT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. 1906.

n-zmwomus PETERS co., WASHINGTON, m c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. HIBBARD,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

UNDEBSI-IIRT.

Application filed June 30.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. HIBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Undershirts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of undershirts, and espe oially those adapted for infants, the objects being to produce a garment which may be readily put on and fastened or removed, and

which will also furnish, as a further and more improved object, an extra protection for the abdomen and entire back of the wearer and provide an abdominal band or support.

The nature of my invention will fully appear from the sub-joined description when considered with the accompanying drawings, forming a p art of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front view of my improved garment; Fig. is a rear view thereof; Fig. 3 is an inside view of the same showing the flaps which overlap each other at the back open and extended, and the reinforcement of the front portion of the garment which covers the abdomen; and Fig. 4 is a section taken horizontally across the garment on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The improved undershirt, as illustrated by the drawings, consists primarily of a garment which need not difier in substance from those of the usual pattern. The substantialdifferences between this undershirt and an ordinary one lies in the fact that it opens only in the back; is closed by folding one of the laps constituting a part of the back over the other lap and made secure at the top by buttons on each shoulder; having a reinforcement to that portion of the garment which covers the abdomen, and a waist band of any suitable material which may be tied in front to make the garment fit snugly and smoothly.

As shown in the accom anying drawing, the undershirt consists o the usual front ortion a, and the two extensions or flaps l) b orming the back, with the sleeves c, the opening for the neck, and a waist band or belt d. The reinforcement of that portion of the front which covers the abdomen is shown in Fig. 3, and is designated 6. It is manifest Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14., 1 908.

1906- Serial No. 824211201 that the severalparts are proportionate to the size of the undershirt and that any suitable material may be used in making such garments.

The back of the undershirt consists of two pieces of material I) and b, Fig. 3, which are similar in shape and size and in fact constitute two backs of the garment, and when properly adjusted to the wearer fold over one upon the other and are held in position by fastening the over fold to the under fold by means of two buttons f and g, and two button holes h and i at the shoulders, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. These two extensions or folds are so made as to cover the entire length of the back from the neck to the end of the skirt of the garment and extend from side to side, and may be so made as to come far enough around on each side of the waist of the wearer as to meet the line where the material used for the reinforcement of that portion which covers the abdomen ends, thus making the double protection of the entire body around the waist complete and uniform.

Any suitable material may be used for rewhich covers the abdomen, but preferably a material different from that used in the other parts of the garment and of such character as to prevent shrinking. The reinforcement e should be attached to the bottom of the skirt of the undershirt and extend up high enough to completely cover the abdomen, but it may cover the entire front of the garment and would thus serve as a protection to the chest as well. Any suitable means may be employed to attach to the front of the undershirt the material used as a reinforcement and in any suitable manner. The reinforcement forms a protector for the abdomen that takes the place of the ordinary abdominal band, thus doing away with the necessity of a separate piece of material for this purpose which is usually necessary for infants. By this construction I provide a combination garment having the characteristics and ad- 1iganltiages of an undershirt and an abdominal any suitable material and is secured to one of the flaps forming the back of the undershirt at about the line of the waist in any suitable manner, and should be of such length as to permit its two ends to be brought around the waist of the wearer and tied in front. The

inforcing that portion .of the undershirt The waist-band or belt d, may be made of belt (1 also serves to hold the lower portions of the extensions or flaps in place. By thus combining the arts I provide a combination undergarment liaving an abdominal band in the reinforcement of that portion which 'covers the abdomen and having actually two backs, one folding over the other, thus giving greater protection to the abdomen and the back of the wearer. This combination garment is designed especially for the use of infants, though I do not limit my invention to such use as it is manifest that the size of the garment in no way effects the scope of my invention or its usefulness.

Because of the opening of the undershirt at the back only it is more easily put on an infant than a similar garment constructed in any other manner as the garment may be first placed upon the lap and the child thereon face downward, while the double thick ness over the back and shoulders is an extra precaution against the wearer taking cold, and the extra thickness in front takes the place of the band usually necessary for infants, thus making the undershirt an ideal garment for use and most economical.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A garment of the character described comprising an undershirt having a front, a back consisting of two flaps or extensions integral with the front and adapted to fold one over the other, each flap being substantially rectangular and of the same length and breadth and extending from side to side across the back from the neck to the bottom of the skirt of the garment, a reinforcement of that portion of the front of the undershirt which covers the abdomen, and means to secure the garment around the body of the wearer, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. HIBBARD.

Witnesses:

ELIZABETH MOLITOR, J. MoRoBERTs. 

